A Stance for Life

Eugene Peterson writes: “The congregation is the pastor’s place for developing vocational holiness. It goes without saying that it is the place of ministry: we preach the word and administer the sacraments, we give pastoral care and administer community life, we teach and we give spiritual direction. But it is also the place in which we develop virtue, learn to love, advance in hope—become what we preach.”

Pastors are not just administrators. First of all they are followers of Jesus. Pastors are to live out the ways of Jesus—in season and out of season, in good times and tough times. To do this pastors need, all of us need, a place from which to stand and live. Only then will we get through.

Here are a number of images that develop this stance for life–

Proverbs 3 reminds us

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

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The Doctor of Ministry staff at Fuller spent time learning about each other and ourselves using tool called the Enneagram.We work better together when we better understand each other.

Other traits that I bring into my work and my relationships, and my relationship with God are: control freak, impatient, Type A, driven

I need to hear the words: Trust in the Lord with all you heart….

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For me there are two ways to be in the world—Sailboat or motorboat

I spent a lot of time as a motor boat. I am trying to be a sailboat

As a Motor boat, I see the goal on other side of the lake. I power up and drive to that goal—no matter what is in my way, people, obstacles—I just charge forward. I get to the other side, but not necessarily the best way

As a Sailboat I see goal, but I know the journey is subject to wind, and waves, and currents. I get to the other side—or somewhere close. It takes longer. It is hard to be patient, but it is a better journey and a better arriving.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart…

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Its like a labyrinth—I walk it/pray it—The labyrinth takes me almost to move to the center—then shoots you back to the outside— the labyrinth teases …..like life… you think we have it all figured out….but not so. There are bumps along the way.We know how life has thrown us curve balls—relationships, health issues, work

—Trust in the Lord with all your heart

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Exodus 40

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

It’s all about trust—move when the Lord says go, stay put when the Lord says stay.

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The apostle Paul met with some hardship, a thorn. He gives witness:

2 Corinthians 12

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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I love this old hymn out of my Scandinavian, pietistic heritage: Children of Heavenly Father—

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:
Your Protector never slumbers.
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foeman must surrender.

Lena Sandell says—trust in the Lord with all your heart

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David reminds us in Psalm 131

1 My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

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So, For all of us—in life, we must simply be still, and know that the Lord is God (Psalm 46)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Thomas Merton’s prayer: “My Lord God I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”